Patent US3607175A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3607175A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Control system for modifying the surface of float glass
Assignee: Pilkington Group Ltd
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Filing: 1968-09-12
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Granted: 1971-09-21
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Expires: 1988-09-12
Abstract
Abstract Desired characteristics are imparted to float glass by maintaining a body of molten material in contact with the upper surface of the floating glass ribbon to migrate ions from the molten material into the surface of the glass, photoelectrically, sensing any change in the rate of modification of the glass surface, and employing an indication of that change to restore a desired rate of modification.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert Sidney Robinson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 00:41
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03C; C03C21/00; C03C21/001; C03C21/005; G; G05; G05D; G05D7/00; G05D7/06; G05D7/0605
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, including a supply container for said material having a valved outlet for controlling the feeding of material from that container, which outlet is connected to said supply duct, and a control device for the valved outlet, which control device is connected to the sensing device and is operable in response to an electrical signal therefrom indicative of a change in the characteristic being sensed to control the feeding of said material into the supply duct.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said ion-migration producing means includes the holding means for the body of molten material constituted as an anode, and a current supply circuit connected to the holding means, and the current supply circuit includes regulating means connected to the sensing device, whereby the current supplied to the anode is variable under control of any change in characteristic of the glass.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the body of molten material is located in contact with the glass surface by clinging to a bar-shaped locating member mounted in the tank structure across and above the path of travel of the glass, and a feed hole is formed down through the bar originating in a depression in the top surface of the bar into which depression the material is fed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supply duct leads to a reservoir of the molten material mounted above the path of travel of the ribbon of glass, and a discharge outlet from the reservoir is formed to regulate the feed of molten material towards the body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the inlet to the discharge outlet is located at a predetermined height relative to the reservoir so that feeding of molten material from the reservoir only takes place when the height of molten material in the reservoir exceeds that predetermined height.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
110 words
Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the reservoir is formed in a graphite feedhead fixed to and supported by the supply duct which is constituted by a graphite lined steel casing to which casing the head is fixed, a downwardly inclined graphite spout is fixed into the head, and the spout communicates with the reservoir by an inclined pipe system in the graphite head which defines a knife edge at its highest point on a level with the liquid level in the reservoir, so that the supply of material into the reservoir through the duct causes a feed of molten material down the spout into the body of molten material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
107 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the depression in the top surface of the bar is formed as a target hole in which a reserve of molten material can be held, a fine-bore feed hole passes through the bar from the target hole, and a graphite feedhead is mounted above the target hole on the end of a supply duct which supports the head, the head being formed with a supply hole communicating with the supply duct through which pellets of the material are supplied, and a nozzle communicating with the supply hole through which the electrically conductive material falls into the target hole in the bar.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
106 words
In a method of manufacturing float glass having a desired characteristic wherein a ribbon of glass is advanced along a bath of molten metal, the improvement which comprises maintaining a body of molten material in contact with the upper surface of the advancing ribbon of glass, controlling migration of ions into the glass surface from said body of molten material to produce that characteristic in the glass surface, photoresponsively sensing a change in that characteristic of the glass surface, producing an electrical signal indicative of that change, and employing that signal to influence said control to restore a desired rate of modification of the glass surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
72 words
A method according to claim 9, comprising maintaining the configuration of the contact area between said body of molten material and the glass surface sufficient to produce said desired characteristic, by sensing photoelectrically light transmitted through the treated ribbon of glass, producing an electrical signal indicative of any change in the light transmitted, and employing that signal to regulate the feeding of material into the body of molten material contacting the glass.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of manufacturing float glass having a desired characteristic, comprising advancing a ribbon of glass along a bath of molten metal, confining a body of molten electrically conductive material in contact with the upper surface of said ribbon of glass, feeding molten material into said body, passing controlled electric current between the electrically conductive material and the glass in order to produce a desired characteristic in the glass, photoelectrically sensing light transmitted through the treated ribbon of glass, producing an electrical signal indicative oF any change in the light transmitted, and employing that signal to regulate said feeding of electrically conductive material into the body of molten material contacting the glass.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 11, comprising employing said signal for selective control of the feeding of material into said body and of the electric current passed between the body of molten material and the glass.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 11, which comprises employing the signal to control a feed of the material into a molten reserve of that material, from which reserve there is a regulated feed of molten material into the body of molten material contacting the glass.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-20 | 1975-03-22 | 1975-09-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-20 | 1979-03-22 | 1979-09-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-20 | 1983-03-22 | 1983-09-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |